An Assorted Collection of OneShots
by Midnight Starfire
Summary: For lack of a better title! A collection of one-shots featuring different genres, ratings, and character's perspectives. Now posted: Two Zelinks and a suspense - horror fic featuring Nabooru with a cameo by Dark Link
1. How OOT Should Have Ended

  


An Assorted Collection Of One-Shots

  
  


By: Midnight*Starfire

A/N: (PLEASE READ) Why am I doing this? I should be working on three other projects! As of lately I have come to love writing one-shots, I love the sense of completion you get from them. Besides I have writer's block and these help. I do not know if this has been done before, sorry if it has. This assorted collection of one-shots(for lack of a better title) will feature one-shots from many different perspectives, genres and ratings. I hope you enjoy them! Please review!!! If you want me to read something of yours, just ask. I would be happy to return the favor!

By the way... IAM A MARY- SUE :P your email prompted this posting of my collection of one-shots. Thank you!

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One Shot # 1. Genre: romance. Rating: PG.

Warning: Fluff ahead.

How The Ocarina of Time Should Have Ended....(in my opinion)

Springtime in Hyrule was the most breathtaking of all. Not a single ivory cloud in the cerulean blue sky. Harmonic birds chirped in the lush trees and the wind whistled through the green fields causing the vivid colored flowers to dance to their own melodic music. Everywhere life was blooming and bustling. The golden sun glowed overhead and warmed the skin of two Hylians, a young man and a young woman, as they sat near the edge of the prodigious Lake Hylia. The handsome man looked into the crystal lake at his reflection, he had honey blonde hair that gracefully fell into his deep inhumanly blue eyes. The beautiful woman laid her platinum blonde head on his shoulder and shut her angelic baby blue eyes. She gently grabbed his hand and interlaced her delicate soft fingers with his strong rough ones. She snuggled her head into his shoulder, becoming intoxicated by his pleasant yet strange scent.

"It's a wondrous day, isn't it Link?" she asked.

Link, broken from his trance, turned and placed a light kiss on her forehead. "It's beautiful, Zelda," he said looking more at her than the scenery. She was all the scenery he needed. Then, he was silent, which was far from regular. Link hoped he had concealed his feelings well, because he did not want her to ask, he didn't need to express his fury towards a recent situation. Zelda removed her head from his shoulder, as she opened her eyes to look upon her love. Immediately, Zelda noticed he was staring off into the horizon. The look on his face expressed that he was displeased with something and Zelda did not like not knowing. Link was never wordless with her, they always had something to say. Zelda took a deep breath, "Link, what ails you?"she asked.

"Can I not enjoy the beauty of silence?" he asked coldly.

Zelda felt a pang of sorrow, guessing it was her fault that he felt this way. "Please tell me what is wrong, Link," she pleaded.

Link heaved a great sigh, "Impa has told me of your father's plans, Zelda. How do you think that makes me feel?"

Zelda pulled away from Link, "You have found out then? I had planned to tell you, but I had not had the right moment yet. I'm not worried about it because it will never happen. I figured you did not know...." her voice trailed off.

Link turned to face her and the deep emotion in his eyes sent a shiver down her spine. "I know it all Zelda. I know about how he loathes our relationship and has decided to find someone for you. Nobility perhaps, I think it matters not. As long as I am without you," Link said, spite evident in his voice.

Silence.

Zelda moved closer to Link and reclaimed his hand that she had released. "I could never love anyone else Link. It will not let my father tear us apart," she assured him.

Yet more silence.

"Truly, you would be better off without me. You should marry a prince, someone who knows politics and how to rule a kingdom. I could never provide for you anything that you deserve," Link said forlornly. He hung his head and suddenly became very interested in the emerald green grass beneath him, as he attempted to avert his eyes. He could not let Zelda see how bad this situation was wounding him.

"Link , you know those things do not matter to me. I do not want a prince, and I do not care for material possessions. I do not want a kingdom if it means I cannot have you," Zelda began, but Link cut her off.

"What do you mean you do not want a kingdom? You do not want to be the Princess? Could you just abdicate your future throne like that?" Link asked her.

"I want nothing more than you, Link," Zelda then took a profound breathe accumulating all the strength she could muster to say what she desired most, "Link I think we should leave Hyrule. Together. We can start life over and never have to worry about my father."

Link suddenly smiled, losing control of his reactions when he wanted to seem stern. "Surely you cannot be serious?"

Zelda leaned forward and fervently kissed him, "Oh, but I am serious. All I need is you."

"Alright, so we are going to be fugitives," Link laughed a little bit apprehensively, "When do we leave ?" he asked skeptically.

"Tonight," said Zelda excitedly. 

Link's blue eyes widened , normally it was him who came up with the outlandish propositions and ideas. He was the one who caused all the disorder, sneaking into the castle to see Zelda, and then sneaking her out. He was the alleged Hero of Time, an eminent warrior. But that was the side of him others saw. Nobody knew that he broke any and every rule with or for Zelda. It was no wonder that the King despised Zelda's relationship with the mischievous Link.

"I'm quite proud of how I have rubbed off on you Zelda," Link said with an arrogant smile, mirth dancing in his eyes as he helped her up.

Zelda received the help he offered and stood to her full height, "What can I say? You have really had an effect on me.... and I hate you for that," she teased.

"No you don't," he reminded her.

"Yes I do," she argued playfully, as they began walking.

And so it came to be Zelda took a few possessions with her, like the ocarina of time, and that night escaped the treacherous castle with Link. The two of them then went on a quest, that took them deep into the dark Lost Woods. In search of a faithful friend that was lost to Link long ago.....

  
  
  
  


- M*S

Yes very short I know! The one-shots get better I promise! The beauty of one-shots is that I can complete them. What sucks about them is that they end too quick. Have any requests/challenges, I'd be more than glad to write something you ask about! 

Please Review!

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Sweet Misery, A Hero's Homecoming

An Assorted Collection of One-Shots

By: Midnight*Starfire

By request I wrote this one, thank you for your request the dark eyed one. I hope you like this!

Genre: Angst

Rating: hmmm let's see PG-13 I guess. R might be too high. I don't know PG-13 could even be high.

Notes: This story doesn't really have a pairing...it's open to interpretation. 

Warning: Somewhat dark, depressing writing ahead. Not like what I usually write.

Disclaimer: Still do not own anything about the LOZ! 

Assorted One Shot # 2

  


Sweet Misery, A Hero's Homecoming

  


Time passes in the blink of an eye, and what once was, is no more. You can never go back and you can never stop the flow of time. Life is ephemeral to all mortals, and all will eventually feel the wrath of time and it's effects on those consumed by it.

When I arrived it was raining, the skies seemed to be crying. Crying for the lost hope within the land, crying for the devastation that has taken hold on a once beautiful and prosperous country. I had no intentions of letting them be defeated, I wished no one an ill fate. And as I returned to my home land I was disgraced to see what lied before me. My home land in ruins, destroyed by it's own fate. A fate I could have prevented, but I selfishly left in search of an old friend. I was unsuccessful in my endeavors, and in all those years I did not accomplish my first goal. All I succeeded in doing was getting lost along the way. Now I look upon the vast destruction wondering about the survivors. I owe it to the people, to check each area of Hyrule to seek out survivors. Perhaps destiny found some fortunate, however the ominous sky does not reflect that. This deep sense of dread and this dark foreboding feeling I have will not dissipate. I should not trust my optimism.

First I traveled to the Kokiri Forest, my childhood home. I braced my self for the despair I was to see, but even assuming the worst did not prepare me for what I saw. The grove in which all the tree houses had been built was leveled, and there was none in sight. The green had decayed and turned into a murky brown and no vegetation thrived. I ran quickly to the Sacred Forest Meadow, in search of a certain clover haired friend. On my way I encountered several new hideous monsters that I had to defeat. And once in the clearing I was shocked ....

There in the clearing before the entrance to the temple stood rows of epitaphs , each marked with the name of several Kokiris I knew as a child. A scraggly haired boy, worn and beaten, knelt before a grave in the far back. I collected myself and walked forward to the boy, and I was surprised when I saw his face. He turned to me, fresh tears still staining his face, and gave me a look of purest loathing that sent a chill down my spine. "What a hero you ended up being!" he growled.

He knew me.

And I knew him.

It was Mido, an enemy of mine all throughout my childhood. He taunted me and ridiculed me because I was "the boy without a fairy". How ironic that I am once again alone. Sobs racked the boy's body, "She waited for you, you know. She believed you would come back. She said the Hero of Time will save us, have faith. But you did not come!" The boy leaned forward and traced the inscribed words, Saria upon the tomb.

If my first destination found this much sorrow in my heart I couldn't bear to see what else awaits me. I swallowed hard, catching a shaky breath and said, "I did not know this would happen. I figured Hyrule would be living another peaceful era, that I was not needed. If I would have known I would have never left. I'm truly....s-sorry".

Mido studied me for a moment, "But you did leave, and you cannot take it back. I do not blame you, but you and you alone could have saved us," he cried.

I turned away from him, not being able to bear the guilt. Hurriedly I left the Sacred Forrest Meadow, and as I ran I mumbled , "I'm sorry my friend. I'm so sorry!" There and then I planned to revisit Saria's grave and pay my respects properly. I now turned my sights to Lon Lon Ranch, to another old friend. 

Mounting Epona I dug my heels deep into her flanks, letting her know I was in a hurry. She began at trot but before I knew it she was galloping, and I felt the wind stinging the wetness coming from my eyes. Lon Lon Ranch was a decayed building, no animals in the green pasture. No sweet melodies floated to my ears as I rode up to it. It was as dreary and broken as the Kokiri Forrest. I dismounted Epona and entered Malon's house. I found a version of Malon, battered and broken at the stove cooking fiercely. Her hair and clothing in disarray. I could hear yelling coming from upstairs, "Hurry up with the food, you stupid wench!" The voice that floated down the stairs was alien to me, I had no idea who it was. Malon turned to face me and once she saw me she dropped the plate of food in her hands. Shards of glass flew in every direction as she stared at me as if I was an apparition, something from beyond the grave. She knew who I was. "Fairy boy...." she mumbled.

I rushed forward to embrace her , yet another long lost friend. And as I held her she began shaking and I knew she was crying. "The country's been plunged into darkness. We waited for your return but you never came. I was forced to marry a vile man to try to keep the Ranch from going under. All my efforts have been in vain, however," she cried. At the exact moment the door to the upstairs chamber flew open and a disgusting burly man came down the stairs. He tried to pry Malon from my arms, but she would not let me go. And I held onto her as well, fearing that if I let her go something terrible would come to pass. My conscience nagged me for leaving, everyone shared a horrible fate because of me. I was roused for my quarries by screaming. Before I knew it the man had pulled Malon from me and had acquired a knife and was about the challenge me. I drew my sword out, and I saw him quiver with fear for a moment before he hurried to the wall removing a long sword from a mantelpiece. He returned to me, hatred blazing in his eyes. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"That matters not," I told him firmly.

"Who do you think you are trying to steal my wife?" he asked.

"He is an old friend, and he was just leaving. He was not trying to steal me! Please calm down!" Malon interjected.

"Shut up!" he roared at her, turning to face her making her shrink down into a corner.

"You need to leave now, or I will kill you!" he demanded. 

"I am not leaving without her" I was not surprised by my own audacity, I always fought whole heartedly for what I believed in.

He lunged forward in an attempt to stab me but I side-stepped his blow and grabbed the sword from his hands. We wrestled over the blade for a moment, and I found myself victorious. But it was at that exact moment that I heard the door squeak open announcing the presence of yet another person. I turned to face the interruption. Oblivious to the scene that occurred behind my back, the struggle that ensued between Malon and her husband as she attempted to flee. The only thing I heard was the squeal that came from the crimson haired woman as she tripped and fell into the sharp edge of a counter top, hitting her head. She lay there lifeless and unmoving and I knew I had lost her. I cried out over my loss and I rushed to her side to see if I was wrong. My first thought was accurate I had lost her. I fought to the death with the man that had interrupted causing me to lose Malon and with her husband as well.

I could not take this, I felt my own sanity beginning to leave me. Two great friends of mine, lost to me. I forced myself to head to what used to be Hyrule Castle. As I reached the draw bridge that was lowered at night, I felt a sudden chill , although there was no wind at the moment. What had become of Princess Zelda? I entered into what used to be Hyrule Castle Town, to find no surprise. It looked just as it had when I had awoken after my seven year long slumber. But it seemed more desolate somehow and re-deads were notoriously absent. Other creatures I had not never seen before lingered in the distance and an abundance of poes floated through the air. I ambled forward to what should have been Hyrule Castle. Yet it was not Hyrule Castle, there was no Castle at all. All that remained was a grey mountain, a mountain of ash. I could tell the castle had been burned, perhaps the occupants were inside as the amber flames depleted their home. I turned away from the ash, not wanting to see it. Din forbid I should see a few bones amidst the ashes, I would lose it, even more than I already had. It was at this point that I gave into sadness, the whole land was dead and gone because of me. Silent tears flowed down my cheeks. I was not here to aid them, and I abandoned them in their time of need. I wandered aimlessly now on my way to Kakariko Village, maybe I would find a survivor. Was it possible that I would find Kakariko less destitute than here? And as I walked forward I remembered an old memory, long since locked away, long since lost to me. It eerily drifted back to me, haunting me, making me question my own reality.

_A young light haired girl was picking flowers in the courtyard. She had gathered vivid violets, bright asters, and soft daisies and was bending to pick a rare rose. The rose had a crystal in the middle and the girl had never seen anything like it._ _She inhaled it's scent deeply , sighing and closing her eyes, letting the breeze rustle through her hair and scatter her tresses in front of her face. Little did she know the danger that lurked behind her. Hiding behind a tree, praising himself for his stealth was a honey haired boy, about the girl's age. Carefully he crept from tree to tree, sly as a fox. When he finally approached the girl, with one quick fluid movement he wrapped his hands around her eyes. The girl, startled , dropped her bouquet and screamed. The boy laughed, but then adjusted his voice, so it was much deeper. "Guess who?" he asked, trying to stifle a giggle._

_The young girl breathed a sigh of relief, " You really should not scare me like that!" she yelled._

_The boy laughed, "It's not who you think it is"_

_The girl laughed, "Yes it is! I know it's you! You do this to me everyday!"_

_The boy released his hold on the girl and she turned to face him. He stooped down and picked up her flower arrangement and handed it to her, "You dropped these Princess"._

_"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that!"_

_"Seventy three," said the boy, finding himself quite comical._

_"Your such a pain!" said the girl with a playful shove._

_The boy pushed her back gently, a shy grin plastered on his face, his pink cheeks bright with happiness. She leaned forward and carefully grabbed the hat he always wore and ran off , laughing madly. "ZELDA!!!" he screamed as he began to chase her. _

_The chase ensued for quite awhile_ _before she disappeared. He found her hiding in a bush, preparing to jump out and scare him. When it was he that snuck up behind her and scared her. She screamed, dropping the hostage hat while doing so. He bent to pick it up, but soon felt himself falling onto the ground as she tackled him. "For a girl your pretty strong!" he said_

_"For a boy your pretty dumb, oh wait all boys are!" she laughed. _

_"Let me up , Zelda," he demanded._

_"No!" she said. "Not until you tell me a secret!" she giggled._

_"What kind of secret?" he asked._

_"Do you like.... anyone?" she questioned._

_"I like lots of people and things," said Link, "I like Navi, Saria, all my friends," he told her._

_She laughed yet once more. "No! Not like that! Who do you like? You know ....love?" she asked her voice becoming shaky as if apprehensive about something._

_The boy was at a loss for words, "Ummm..... I .... uhhh...."_

_Zelda then said, "You do not have to tell me, I already know!" She then gently kissed him on the cheek and held her hand out to help him up. As he grabbed her hand she left go , letting him fall back onto his butt, hard. Her high pitched giggle filled the air as she ran off yet again._

That boy was me. I had not announced my departure from this land, yet she knew. I remember it well, I paid a visit to the castle during the day to find her in the courtyard picking flowers just as she had years ago.I went to sneak up behind her, just like I did many times years ago. But she turned around as I stepped upon a stray branch.She smiled that sweet, innocentsmile I always knew. However as I came closer I knew that her smile betrayed her eyes. Embedded in her eyes was a look of deepestsorrow_, _and an underlying longing."Come to say goodbye, have you?"

The smile on my own face faltered, "How did you know?"

She tried to smile but she failed miserably, "I dreamed this day would come. I knew you would never stay," she said.

I suddenly found the ground interesting, "I have a lot to seek out in my own life, many things I lost along the way. A friend that I lost...." my voice broke and trailed off.

Zelda nodded, "I understand," she told me. It was two simple words, yet I knew they were lies to her heart. Where as she might understand, she did not fully comprehend my situation.

Silence.

The beautiful blonde cleared her throat, "I'll miss you, you know".

I smiled at her, feeling my heart flutter.

"And I you," I said now feeling sadness reeling about me.

She slowly walked forward and held out the ocarina of time, "I know you gave this back to me, but I feel you should take this with you". I held out my hands to accept the ocarina. Zelda took my hands and closed them around the blue ocarina and smiled. "I want to teach you another song, so you might find your way back here. Find your way safely back to me," she told me.

That day she taught me Hyrule's Solo_, _a song that would warp me back to Hyrule. I promised I would visit soon, but I never did. Now I hate my own existence for allowing myselfto forget that song. I should have heard the soft melody floating from the ocarina long ago, I should have played the song. I never would have guessed how quickly time passes. Or what can occur within a year. A day becomes a week and a week becomes a month. Soon a month becomes a year, and then the word year becomes the word years.

When I reached Kakariko I found the same destruction as the other places. The houses still stood however, but they were falling apart. The trees had died and the paint chipped off the houses. Old fragments of what used to be walls of houses stood in place. Often I found that only a few walls of a house remained. To my dismay I found skeleton's sitting in old chairs at tables. My stomach lurched and I suddenly felt sick I could tell no one lived here, and if not here than where?About to head to Death Mountain I felt a hand on my shoulder, I drew my sword to destroy whoever laid their hand upon me. As I turned around , however, I let my sword fall out of my hands. It hit the ground with an abnormal sounding thud. I stared silently as two crimson eyes glared back at me from under a dark black cloak. Stray strands of ivory hair fell out of the hood of the cloak as the wind blew. 

Impa.....

"Welcome home, Hero of Time," she said with a voice I could tell had not been used for years. It was chilling and lifeless, much like all of Hyrule.

"Not much of a welcome," I retorted.

Impa lowered her hood and tried to smile at me. I was greatly horrified when I saw her face. How she had aged horribly, looking as if though it hurt just to smile. Scars and cuts surrounded her face and tired eyes told the tales of many horrific memories.

"Impa , I'm sorry I didn't return sooner. I know that if I was here I could have saved the land I could have-"

At this point she cut me off.

"It was fate, my child. You could have offered us no help. It was meant to be this way," she said.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to look upon her. "Are there.....any survivors?" I questioned her.

"Only a few remain," she said her voice monotone.

"What came to pass for the Gerudos?"

"The sun stopped shining in the desert, and they froze to death."

"The Zoras?" I asked.

"A heat wave made the water burn them alive. They could not stand the intense heat of the water," she said.

"The Gorons?" I asked.

"They starved to death," she responded.

"I have seen Kokiri Forrest, Lon Lon Ranch and Hyrule Castle. But what happened to each of them?"

"The children of Kokiri forest contracted a sort of plague and they died because of the incurable illness. The Great Deku Tree was the first to pass. Lon Lon Ranch was spared because he needed horses, so he sent one of his knights in disguise to marry Malon. And Hyrule Castle...." Impa said her eyes filling with crystal tears.

"The people of Hyrule Castle were locked in and burned alive. I escaped with Zelda and -"

ZELDA! My heart sped up so fast I felt it might jump out of my chest. I felt the wind knocked from me and I suddenly felt dizzy. "Is she alive?"

"She disappeared, my child. I have not seen her since. The last words she spoke to me the night before she disappeared was 'I wonder where Link is and when he will come back.' I think she left to find you," cried Impa. She was sobbing now and I felt even more horrible for leaving.

After what seemed like an eternity I found my voice, "Who survived this terrible insolence?" I asked.

"A few people of Kakariko village survived the attacks of new monstrous minions. Their houses were pillaged and they were individually slaughtered. Nabooru, Rauru, Malon, Zelda and I all survived. It was believed that a single Kokiri survived and Saria went to visit him, but she never returned," Impa stated.

"Malon is no more, I visited the ranch," I said.

Suddenly my attention was called to her earlier use of the word HE, who was he? I would make him pay for all he has done. Killing the people of this great land! Destroying my future and my past! I would avenge all of their deaths!

"Who is....he?"

Impa's eyes became alive with fear, something I had never seen from her before. "Ganon, has returned. He broke the seal and conquered the land. But he is no longer here, he destroyed this land and left it. He rendered it fruitless making sure no one could survive here and then he left searching greedily for more power. We have no idea about his whereabouts," she informed me.

Ganon.....I'll find him whatever the cost may be and kill him....

I thought I killed him once....but now I'll annihilate him.

When I did not speak for a moment, Impa took over, "The land is beginning to be covered by water. Lake Hylia and Zora's Domain have overflowed due to relentless rainstorms. We fear the land shall soon be flooded. Hyrule shall become a vast lake and all the foundations shall sink into the newly created ocean," said Impa.

I did not realized throughout the conversation I had closed my eyes. Now when I opened them I felt hatred course through my veins, radiating from my heart itself. I drew in a shaky breath and said, "Impa, I'm going to kill Ganon. I will avenge the deaths of my friends. I'm sorry I left, this is all my fault. Had I known what would come to pass, I would have never even considered my departure".

Impa's crimson eyes burned into me, "Do not blame yourself, you did not know. No one had such knowledge. Even Zelda's prophetic dreams did not foretell of such a fate. I have but one request of you, Link, Hero of Time," she said.

I cringed at the word hero, a title that should never be near my name. Hero, what kind of hero abandoned his own people? 

I heard my own voice ask , "What is your request?" although I felt far away.

"I need you to find Zelda. She is the key to Ganon's demise. The power of you two combined shall be overwhelming to him. Zelda has learned new magic since you left, she has gained power," said Impa.

I nodded, words once again lost to me.

As I turned to leave Impa called to me and I turned around. "She loved you , you know," Impa said.

I turned and left Impa, not knowing I would never see Hyrule again.

The Hero of Time journeyed far and wide to find the Princess of Destiny, however he never succeeded. Once among a crowd in a land far away, he believed he saw her. He ran to the spot where she stood and she disappeared around a corner. Looking around the corner he found nothing. There after every where he went he believed he saw her, and every time he thought he found her, there was no one there. Princess Zelda was never seen or heard from again. Some believe she assumed another identity and went on with life as normal in another land. Others, faithful to the Princess, believed she came back to Hyrule just as it flooded and sank to the bottom of the ocean with her land. Hyrule vanished like it was a dream and became a vast ocean as predicted. The remaining inhabitants of Hyrule drowned in the flood. Alone, with his memories chilling him and his conscience blaming him for Hyrule's downfall, Link died. With his precious ocarina at his side, his final remaining memory of a beautiful Princess and the quests he went on for her. Her love for him she took to the grave. Link's final hope was that his soul would find retribution for leaving Hyrule, and with his final breath he blamed himself and admitted a truth. The truth that he would not have left knowing he was loved. Knowing that someone needed him near and he was someone's hero. But either way he believed he could not win, because he lived and died in sweet misery.

-M*S

That was hard for me to write, I hate sad endings! Please do not flame me if you disagree with this!!!!

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	3. Young Part One

  


An Assorted Collection Of One-Shots

BY: Midnight*Starfire

  
  


Genre: romance/ tiny bit of humor

Rating: PG

Warning: Fluff! (Link x Zelda)

Notes: A simplistic short fic! If you have any requests/ challenges I'd be happy to try them! I had to write something upbeat after that last angst fic I wrote.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything! Still!

Assorted one-shot #3

  


Young

(please do not let your mind wander while reading this, it is not intended to be perverted)

Two young children, around the age of ten sat on the green grass in Hyrule Castle's rich beautiful courtyard. The young girl was picking red roses and delicate daisies from the nearby flower beds. She would smell each one once and then put them into a elaborate bouquet she was making. The boy who sat next to her had been plaguing her with the same question for an hour, and she pretended not to hear him. He gradually leaned over towards her, inching closer and closer, but she pulled away.

"I don't want to!" yelled the little sunlight haired girl.

"Why not?" asked the honey blonde haired boy. "You owe me!"

"I most certainly do not!" stated the little girl firmly. "You do not even know how!"

"You're the one who said you have never tried it!" laughed the little boy.

"I never said that! You said that!" retorted the girl.

The boy didn't know what to say, because in all actuality she was quite accurate. "Tell you what , if I catch a bigger fish than you when we go fishing today , you have to," he teased. "Plus you have to pretend to like it!"

The little girl wrinkled her nose in disgust. "And if I win?"she asked.

"You do not have to and ....." the honey haired boy began.

"And what?" demanded the young girl.

"I'll never bother you again! I promise!" he finished, quite sure of himself.

The girl was quiet for a moment, "Ohh alright. But it is going to be funny when you are beat by a girl!" she taunted him.

"That isn't going to happen," he said smugly. 

Within an hour the two of them sat down by the cool calm lake Hylia, both with fishing poles, hoping to catch a fish. The young girl closed her eyes, "This is boring, Link. We are never going to catch a fish," she told him.

"Quit whining Princess," said Link with a smile, "I just felt something tug on my line!"

"What?! That's not fair! Your cheating!" she exclaimed, as Link began reeling in his big catch. Link leaned backwards pulling on the fishing line, and reeled frantically. He carefully got up and took a few steps backwards, looking for stronger footing. The fish was stronger than he anticipated, and was taking a lot effort from him. He felt himself being pulled forwards a bit and a look of fear rushed over his face. Zelda jumped up quickly and grabbed onto Link's waist , helping him pull backwards. Finally Link pulled the line from the water to find......

"Ewww an old boot!" laughed Zelda as Link stared at his "fish". "Some fish," said Zelda.

"So what, you haven't even caught anything," grumbled Link. "And I didn't need your help I could have reeled it up myself," he said.

"Sure, sure," Zelda said.

"You still have to catch something or you have to," Link chimed. 

Zelda's smile faded quickly, "You never said that! You said catch a bigger fish!" she yelled.

"Well I caught something, and you have to catch something better!" Link said with a cunning smile as he playfully reached over and tugged on one of Zelda's golden tresses.

Zelda narrowed her sky colored eyes and grabbed Link's hand to pull him away from her hair. 

"Fine! I will catch something better than you. All you caught was an old shoe! I can catch a fish!" she proclaimed.

Thirty minutes later.... 

Zelda sat down by the lake alone waiting for a fish to pull on the line. Link had given up waiting for her to catch something and could not catch anything more himself, so he was quietly snoozing under the shade of a dark green tree. Zelda's whole body was beginning to go numb from all the sitting and she wondered what in all of Hyrule made people sit still like this. Just for fish! Were they insane?

An hour later.....

The Princess still sat in the same place, trying to keep her neck from snapping back, because sleep was trying to consume her. It was a soft breezy spring day, it was somewhat warm yet relaxing. And the affect it had on her was making her drowsy. Link had awoke and was making mud pies nearby, every once in awhile he would sneak up behind Zelda and dump mud into her hair, and run away laughing because she knew she could not get up. If she screamed or even wiggled when he put mud in her beautiful blonde hair, she would scare away the fish and she knew it.

An hour and forty five minutes later....

Link was off swimming in the distance no where near Zelda, because when he tried to get into the water near where she was fishing , a rock was thrown at him. Link plunged deep into the crystal clear water and held his breath, trying to swim deeper each time. Then he scurried out of the water, climbed up a not so steep cliff and did a cannonball off the edge. After doing this about fifteen times, he found it unamusing. Link climbed out of the water and took off his cap and shook his head back and forth , like a dog would. He wrung out his cap and put it back on and found his boots. Putting them on, he walked over towards Zelda. He had planned to sneak up on her , but the squishy sound his boots made sort of gave him away. Link took a seat next to Zelda, as close as possible, and stared at her until she turned to look at him.

"What?" she questioned him rudely.

Link smiled big at her impatience, "You are never going to catch anything, Zel. Why don't you just admit you lost?" he said leaning in close to her.

Zelda moved away and stared at him, "It's not over yet! Any second now...." she said her voice trailing off as she stared down into the deep cerulean water, willing a fish to bite on the line.

As if on cue, a fish pulled on the line. Zelda began reeling the fish in. After a five minute struggle, she managed to pull.....

a tiny trout of the water. "Aww he's cute," said Zelda admiring her fish. " I'm going to let him go, I don't want to hurt him."

Link glared her, very miffed about the fact that he could not catch a fish. "So what! I caught something bigger than you did, so you still have to!" he said triumphantly.

"Linky, you caught a boot! I caught a fish! I win! And you are not ever allowed to ask again," she told him.

Link hung his head in defeat. It was true, while he had caught a large old shoe, Zelda had been the one who caught the fish. She won fair and square. He was outdone by a girl! Link swallowed hard, his throat feeling dry as he cleared his throat to admit defeat. "Alright, Zelda. You won ....." he said sadly. "I promise I won't ask you ag-" Link jumped in shock as he felt Zelda's lips touch his for a brief second. Zelda pulled away blushing a bright scarlet and giggling uncontrollably. "Okay Mr. Hero, you got what you wanted!" she told him. 

Zelda jumped up quickly still giggling, "Come and get me!" she yelled over her shoulder. Link got up as fast as he could and darted after her. "Come back Zel! I want a real kiss! What do you call that?

  


-M*S

Thanks for reading!! Please review, I would appreciate it. 

Coming Soon : A one-shot having to do with the game a link to the past, a fic from Malon's point of view, a tribute to the 80's cartoons, and a one-shot featuring Nabooru.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY COMING SOON:

CHAPTER FOUR OF FIRE & ICE!!

  
  
  
  
  



	4. The Gemini

An Assorted Collection of One-Shots

  


BY: Midnight*Starfire

Genre: Hmmm.....suspense...maybe horror?

Rating: I suppose PG?

Warning: Plotlessness and pointlessness ahead!

Note: I like to play with different genres, ratings, and characters, this story is just an example of me trying something new!

Disclaimer: I own nothing about the LOZ! I only own Gjuldane. Pronounced (Jil don nay)

One-Shot # 4 : The Gemini

The brilliant sun was setting in the west, and its illumination cast dark shadows upon all those in Hyrule. The birds had ceased their continuous chirping in the trees and all creatures wicked and mystifying had come out to play. A night owl in a nearby tree opened its amber eyes and hooted once. Twice. Before long the golden full moon lit up the nighttime sky. 

Standing guard outside a potent desert fortress a fiery haired, muscular young woman stood holding a well crafted spear. She closed her eyes and took in the nighttime sounds as the wind threatened to take over her senses. Next to her stood her identical clone, yet younger and smaller, her sister Gjuldane. The only discernable difference between the two was their eyes, while Nabooru's were a violent violet (they aren't amber in this story), Gjuldane's were a piercing sea green. Nabooru casually looked over to her sister who was slouching and leaning against her spear ineptly. Being a stickler for perfection, this drove Nabooru absolutely mad. She reached over and poked her sister slightly with the silver tip of the spear, giving her a venomous look while doing so. Gjuldane rolled her eyes and straightened up. Gerudos were known for their ferocity and precise skills as warriors, and Gjuldane was constantly reprimanded for her lack of precision. 

Then all at once, the nighttime sounds ceased, and silence immersed them. Nabooru was alerted by this, but Gjuldane closed her eyes and went back to leaning against her spear, as if she was about to fall into a deep sleep. Nabooru strained her ears to hear what that sound was in the distance. It sounded like a scratching sound, like something was being dragged. "Something's coming, I can feel it," she told Gjuldane with a haunted look in her eyes.

Gjuldane yawned heartily, "How can you be so sure? I feel nothing, not even the wind," she said.

"Precisely," Nabooru told her, "When all sounds desist and even the wind stops, that's when you know something is amiss."

Gjuldane cocked her head and stared at her sister, "I think your imagination has run off again. Don't you remember last time? When you claimed someone was breaking into the kitchen at night and we found out it was Viorica sleep walking?"

Nabooru turned and fixated her icy stare upon her sister, her eyes reflecting that fact that she did not wish to be taunted. The stare alone was enough to make Gjuldane turn her head, no one could look Nabooru in the eyes. There was something about her eyes, perhaps the stare, or maybe it was the unnatural violet that they were. Or perhaps it was the fact that she looked so inhuman, almost evil, and that she never blinked. She was almost unreal, something from a dream. Nabooru stood ready for an attack, thinking something was there. How right she was....

At the exact moment the bushes ruffled, something stirred and came closer to where the two women stood. Gjuldane, not believing what she saw stood dumbfounded, only thinking of the tales of terror other Gerudos told about rejected Gerudos, ones that had been kicked out. Other Gerudos like the King of Evil. But it was well known that he was dead and gone.

"Be on your guard, Gjuldane," whispered Nabooru as she prepared herself to pounce upon whatever it was. Nabooru's pulse quickened even though her exterior showed no signs of fear. Nabooru thought about other instances in her life, other situations like this one. All of the Gerudos had taken to calling her ghost, due to the fact that wherever she went, they believed spirts followed. Nabooru had seen apparitions all her life, especially whenever she was alone. Not everyone believed her, however. Preparing herself for whatever awful thing she was about to witness, she focused violet eyes upon the bush.

For the next few minutes all was quiescent and silent. A lone fox wandered out of the bush, where Nabooru's ghost was. Gjuldane tried to stifle a laugh but to her dismay she could not do so. Nabooru turned to face her sister with agitation in her eyes. "I was on my guard, Nabby. And you know what I was about to attack? A simple little fox! I cannot believe how paranoid you are!" laughed Gjuldane.

Gjuldane's uproar continued for a few minutes, partially to spite her sister for always trying to make her as perfect as she was. Nabooru blocked out the inane laughter and focused on watching the entry gates. Why was she out here guarding anyways? She was renowned and was training to be the next leader, so why was she doing the dirty work? She focused her eyes on her sister, who had finally stopped snickering and was the reason Nabooru was out there. Gjuldane was always trouble, and since she was Nabooru's sister, Nabooru had to practically babysit her.

An hour passed and all was still and serene. The iridescent stars danced in the nighttime sky and the golden moon rose higher into the sky. Gjuldane promptly fell asleep leaning against her spear, while Nabooru remained agile, yet tranquil. The bushes shook once again nearby and Nabooru focused her weary eyes upon them. A musty putrid smell wafted up to her nostrils and made her stomach turn over. It was suddenly freezing as well and an glacial wind began to blow. Nabooru stood still, watching the bushes as she clung to her spear and shivered uncontrollably. She glanced over at her sister who was now laying on the flithy ground fast asleep. Some guard she was. It did not matter however, because Nabooru was used to independence and solitude, she had always done things for herself. She needed no one.

After a couple hours the lively young Gerudo woman found herself drenched in lethargy, and had taken to sitting on the ground. Her younger sister was intent on sleeping their whole watch, and Nabooru was beginning to question the fact that the other Gerudos had not yet sent someone to replace them. Their shift had to be long since over. When jobs were assigned there was always an uproar about who would be given the tedious job of guarding. Nabooru felt her head lurch forward and her neck felt suddenly stiff. It was then that she felt something brush against her arm and her eyes opened with a start. Turning her head slightly to the left, she saw nothing ....at first....

The shadow of what looked to be like the great Hero of Time was cast upon a nearby crevice. Unsheathed at his side she could see the magnificant blade and in his other hand he held a mighty Hylian Shield. But a closer look revealed that this was no ordinary presence.....

It was not quite a shadow, image, apparitation, or reflection. It was merely a twin of Link's likeness, with startling differences. It was as if one were looking at Link but it was not complete in such a way that it made him look malignant. He was ghastly white, lacking in color and his face was devoid of any emotion. To look at him sent a chill down Nabooru's spine and knocked her air supply from her. He seemed to radiate a forbidden iniquity and his persona seemed so....dark.

Dark like the color the night when one can see nothing around themselves. Dark like the feeling of foreboding one experiences when predicting their own demise. Dark like the endless black sky; a sea of despair. Nabooru stood there with her unblinking gaze locked upon his, her breathing had ceased to exist and time had stood still. 

"Gjuldane," she whispered, "You need to get up," said Nabooru simply.

Her mind was closing and her thoughts were being sucked from her head as she stared at the twin of Link before her. She felt that maybe if she closed her eyes, he would disappear and alas he would be yet another reason why the others mocked her. Nabooru felt her teeth chatter, out of coldness and fright. The blood red lips of the twin slowly slipped into a malevolent smile.

"Go ahead and wake her, for she will not see me as you do," it enunciated without moving its mouth.

Never before had she been face to face with something this vile. She swallowed hard and looked briefly to the left of her, towards the entrance to the Gerudo Fortress. When she turned back to look upon the dark image of Link she found nothing. Breathing a sigh of alleviation she once again beckoned her sister.

"Gjuldane, wake up!"

Gjuldane stirred this time, and opened her green eyes. Gjuldane glared at her sister, finding her to be a nuisance who was intent on abolishing her sleep. "Why did you wake me, I was having quite an interesting dream."

Nabooru weighed her options. Tell her sister and once again face ridicule or dismiss this whole incident as a wild hallucination. The latter was the one she inadvisably choose.

"I thought I saw something, Gjuldane. Turns out it was my imagination running amuck yet once again."

Gjuldane smirked and stood up, brushing herself off as she did so. Picking up her spear she leaned against a nearby rock and closed her eyes. Nabooru sighed inwardly, would nothing ever daunt these people? Apparently, they did not believe in what she knew to be accurate. What she knew with every ounce of her being to be tangible. Seeing is believing right?

Perhaps it was a mere trick, and when analyzed the situation could have been fantasy all along. She was exhausted and it was nighttime, two things which could cause one to think they saw things that did not exist. 'But then how could I explain the abrupt coldness and the rancid smell,' Nabooru thought. The coldness was the wind and the scent could have been any number of things. Nabooru argued with herself over the justifications of the recent events. Was it possible it was all a figment of her imagination?

She had found a way to convince herself she was disturbed until she heard heavy breathing directly behind her. She froze in place, not moving a muscle, holding her breath as if it would help. She strained her ears to here as he moved closer and closer to her until she could feel his warm, rotten breath upon her bare olive skinned shoulders. Lightly he brushed his fingertips down her back as if trying to take in what real human flesh felt like. Nabooru shivered at his touch, and the profound coldness that made her skin ache. She closed her eyes tightly, willing him to go away. She felt his fingers weave through her hair and another chill darted down her spine. Whether or not he intended to harm her she could no longer take it. 

Taking a deep breath and counting to three Nabooru spun around and uttered a shrill battle cry. She was met with a sword however and he stabbed her in the side before she could even impact him. Nabooru had dealt with pain all her life, but there was something about this wound. It was more than a flesh wound. It felt as if her flesh was decaying and burning all at the same time. Although her pain tolerance was high and she was quite the warrior herself, her shriek reverberated through the canyon walls. The last thing she remembered before consciousness left her was him standing over her, the smell of his breath and glowing glint in his eyes and the way the large hilt of his sword felt as it impacted the side of her head.

Darkness had suffused her senses rendering sight useless. She shook with violent tremors as she tried to awaken. Voices echoed in the background, familiar ones at that. She fought to regain consciousness, to reclaim her senses, but so far to no avail. The voices had come closer to the point where she could distinguish words, although she could not differentiate between the voices.

"What do you mean you just found her like this, Gjuldane?" demanded an irate high pitched voice.

"When I awoke she was like this, bleeding from the side. I searched everywhere but found no one," said Gjuldane, the second voice.

"It almost looks as if she injured herself," drawled a third feminine, yet raspy voice.

"What do you mean awoke, Gjuldane?" demanded the first voice, "sleeping on the job again?"

But the first voice was cut off by the third. "This isn't a spear puncture!"

"What" asked Gjuldane.

"Well what is it then," interrogated the first voice.

"It looks to made like this wound was made....by some sort of long sword," replied the third voice. If you look here you can see the incision is.....

The voices began to fade from Nabooru's head as she once again lost all consciousness and fell into a dreamless sleep.

Yet a few hours later Nabooru awoke to darkness save a flickering lanern mounted on the wall. Her eyes frantically jerked open and she looked all around for the warrior who bore an uncanny resemblance to Link. She lurchd forward and felt herself pulled back onto the hard cold ground, her head smacked again solid stone. The air was heavy and sour and leaning forward she saw strong metal bars surrounding her. Nabooru once again tried to get up, only to be pulled back to the ground. This time she heard the clanking of metal upon marble and knew she was chained to the wall. Her side ached as she writhed against the chains, panicking trying to free herself. Nabooru knew exactly where she was, but why? Why would they chain her to a wall in the dungeons, what had she done wrong? 

Nabooru called out for anyone but no one came, she was all alone. Paranoia began to take hold on her and she began to worry she would see the twin once more. The masochist who deliberately stabbed her with a smile on his face. She screamed in agony and anguish and writhed against the chains once more.

"Why is she screaming, what's wrong with her?" asked Gjuldane frantically. Three gerudos stood outside looking into Nabooru's cell watching as she tried to free herself but to no avail. 

"Gjuldane, we know this is going to be hard for you to understand. But it appears that your sister tried to kill herself earlier. Gjuldane she is-" began the leader of the Gerudos who was then cut off by Gjuldane.

"Do not stand there and lie to me! My sister is not suicidal or insane! There is nothing wrong with her, NOW RELEASE HER!" Gjuldane screamed.

Another Gerudo, that ranked just below the leader stepped forward. "I suggest your words come to a halt. Unless you would like to join her."

Gjuldane turned to her sister and watched her. Nabooru was panicking and screaming continuously. She was acting as if there was something in the cell with her, yet the other Gerudos saw nothing. If only they understood that her sense of vision was heightened and see could see what the untrained eye missed. If only they knew she could sense what others wouldn't believe to exist or even be present in the room with them.

Nabooru had begun to calm down, she was wearing herself out screaming and thrashing around. She sat down upon the hard cold ground and leaned her head forward. Closing her eyes, she took in deep breaths convincing herself that this somehow wasn't real. Any second she would open her eyes and be in her own chambers. She would awake to find it was a nightmare and that she had not been attacked by some twin of Link and that she was not chained to a wall in the dungeon. For she knew exactly why she had been chained here. The other Gerudos believed her to be a threat and an extremely dangerous one at that. They must think her crazy to chain her to a wall and leave her.

Still uneasy and suffering, Nabooru tried to find a way to sleep. She was very weary and she figured that at any second she would feel herself dropping off into the land of dreams. This was all interrupted however by heaving breathing that came from directly in front of her. A sudden coldness washed over her and she began to shiver. Nabooru was afraid to open her eyes, because she knew what she would find there. But no matter because the more she reacted to his taunting the more of a show she put on for the other Gerudos. Either way she could not win. Opening her eyes she saw within an inch of her face was the twin. With his glowing eyes and blood red lips, and pale skin. The two stared at each other for a moment and Nabooru couldn't help but notice his leering smile. Looking into his eyes she knew that this would be the end of her. She would be like this forever, thought to be a lunatic. She would see things others would not and they would never ever believe her. She would become an example and she would be the basis of why other Gerudos would never speak up if they saw something unexplained.

With this in mind Nabooru did not react, and did not move a muscle. She only maintained her eye contact with the creature resembling Link. His unblinking stared burned into her and she felt herself gasping for air. Her very thoughts were being pulled from her as it came closer...and closer....

"What is she doing? What is she looking at?" demanded the chief Gerudo.

Gjuldane silently watched her sister, fearful that something would truly happen to her. Nabooru was not a known prevaricator, so why would she create such falsehoods? Surely there must be some truth to what she has said.

"Move her to the Spirit Temple, I cannot have her disrupting the rest of us. There she will remain in exile."

The next day Nabooru was moved to the Spirit Temple and was told to stand guard there for all times. Gjuldane wanted to stay with her sister but she was forced to come back to the main Gerudo stronghold. The other Gerudos left Nabooru all alone, and she thought no one was in the room with her. But the moment she believed that to be true, she heard the deep raspy breathing sound coming from the entrance of the Spirit Temple.....

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Well hopefully you enjoyed my explanation of why you find Nabooru in the Spirit Temple during the game. I have no idea why I even wrote this. I guess you could just blame it on me having some extra time and wanting to write something about Nabooru and something about Dark Link too.

Reviews are very much appreciated!!! 

M*S

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Bittersweet Elegy

Bittersweet Elegy

by: Midnight*Starfire

Disclaimer: I own nothing about the Legend of Zelda. Sorry I cannot think of any sarcastic remarks at this current time.

Genre: Tragedy/Romance

Warning: Not like what I usually write.

Rating: high PG-13

Disclaimer: I own nothing about the Legend of Zelda!!

Note: Before I begin I want to take a second to thank all of the reviewers! Thank you very much for reading, I truly appreciate it!! 

  
  
  
  


One shot # 5 : Bittersweet Elegy

Had I ever known that all my trials and tribulations had been in vain I would have never gotten myself involved. I take that back, I would have been involved yet only for her. Yet she is the mere reason I'm here now, the reason I'm partially alone. The reason I'm hurting and yearning for something more out of life. Without her legacy I suppose my life would have been rendered worthless. I suppose either way destiny and hate had an accustomed hatred for both of us. If I was to wait for her a thousand years, another thousand would be added. Perhaps even in a world parallel to ours two lovers have continuously struggled, never sitting back and watching as each time they were torn from each other. Such was my destiny from the start, to live a solitary life, to suffer....

I'll never forget the last time I was in her presence. She was one of those innocuous, lively beautiful souls. Truly one of a kind, just as they say snowflakes are. Her vivaciousness for life and her undaunted spirit made my courage and taciturn nature look submissive and ashamed. I would have been nothing without her, but I believed deep within my heart she could live without me. Even as we wished it to be, it could not be. I always wondered what a Princess wanted with a simple peasant, but it was then that she assured me I was much more than that. I was the Hero of Time and if that mattered not then at least I was her hero.

It was the winter of my nineteenth year, and it was a bitter one at that. The snow had been falling all night and it was impossible to see outside. I was alone in my house, nay should I say shack, and intent upon making myself some morsels to consume. There was a knock upon my wooden door, and dropping my dinner instantly I hurried to it. Opening it I found a set of familiar azure sky colored eyes. Eyes that could leave me breathless and enchanted. I knew those eyes well for I had looked longingly and lovingly into them many a time. It was Zelda. But what had caused her to seek me in the middle of the night?

Darting past me into the house, the first thing she did was remove the thick ebony cloak she wore. I blushed as I saw to my surprise that the woman wore a sheer nightgown beneath it. I turned my eyes away from her out of decency but hearing soft sniffling sounds I turn back immediately. I gazed upon her the very epitome of a paragon even as she was pummeled by a torrent of uncontrollable emotions. Never in this world or the next would I meet such a grandiose woman and yet her disposition was not pompous at all. Stunned by the fact that even as she cried she was beautiful I did not dare move an inch. Ivory snowflakes clung to her hair, the pieces that had stuck out of the cloak. The cloak was also blanketed with snowflakes, all clinging to her and snow had been tracked into my home by her. I did not speak a word, however it was of no consequence because she hurried over to me. Throwing her arms around me I felt her lithe body shake as sobs escaped her. She was holding me rather tight and for the life of me I could not figure out what ailed her, what would cause her to cry like this? Was it something I had done?

"Zelda, why are you crying?" I found myself asking when at last my voice returned.

I was not prepared for what I was to face next, however I dealt with it in the only way I knew. Silence. I could find no way to articulate my immoderate somberness. All I could do was hold Zelda in my arms and try to comfort her in her weak and vulnerable state. The warmth and closeness of our bodies caught up with us however and we found ourselves locked in a deeper embrace. I found my lips interlocked with hers in a way that I did not often experience and when she asked to stay I softly told her it was alright. 

It would have taken every ounce of my being to make her leave that night, had I even wanted her to go. But yet I doubt I could, for I would never forgive myself. After she told me of her betrothal to a noble in another land she cried harder. It was as if saying it made it final and there was no running no escape. I cried as well, though not as she did. I would not undo my actions that night for anything, no matter how wrong it seemed.

When I awoke the following morning I found myself alone yet again. Feeling like it was a forbidden dream I smiled to myself in wonderment. Yet there was a familiar scent about me, almost like honeysuckle but softer. It was Zelda, she had been here. She had been with me in a way only lovers could be.

The next few months only served to show chaos and purgatory for me. When the King of Hyrule announced Zelda's unbreakable betrothal I tasted depression for the first time. My abhorrence for the King grew even more. I wallowed in my misery believing life was no longer worth living and had a hard time pulling myself from my bed. The day they were married several months later I packed everything I owned, which was not much. I was to leave within a couple days, and in fact it was luck, had there been such a thing that I was present in my abode when yet another knock was heard upon my door.

My heart raced as my eyes turned towards the door, in astonishment. I never received many visitors and most generally it was Zelda who came to visit me. Rushing to the door I hurriedly unlatched it and pulled it open.

But it was not Zelda.

Just as it would never be again.

Days flew by and months came to pass giving birth to a new year. After you have weathered one year, the passing of a second is no matter to you as well. I've grown older and wiser, stronger and braver. But I carry her in my heart always. I've seen many new lands for it was the very next day after Impa came to visit me that night, that I left Hyrule and never looked back.

But I did not leave alone.

I suppose part of me had figured that Zelda was at my door, just as she had been on that blustering winter's night. Yet the rational and sensible part of me reasoned it could not be she. As I opened the door to my disheartenment I found that my sensible side was victorious.

There in front of my stood there aging Sheikah woman, with her now long ivory tresses dancing in the wind. In her arms she held a whimpering basket....

If I would have known that night would have been the last time I would have seen Zelda, I would have chained her to my house forbidding her to leave. Impa told me how unhappy Zelda was with her husband and that there was no love between them. And when it was discovered that she was with child her husband immediately came forth claiming there was no way that the child was his. Zelda had hid her pregnancy for quite awhile, but she could no longer do so, as it became quite obvious to anyone who looked at her.

One night after Zelda had delivered the baby, she had decided to flee the castle. For if she did not leave she would face the penalty of adultery that she was being accused of. She snuck out of her room carrying her child in a basket, intent on returning to her love. All was well until Zelda had to cross a deep river near the castle. She tripped and hit her head hard upon a stone knocking herself unconscious and dropping the basket leaving it to float downstream....

It was several days after Zelda was declared missing that Impa found her....floating face down in the river. I could tell by looking at Impa that she was destroyed at the loss of Zelda and that she would never be the same again. She had lost, what she considered to be her daughter, since she practically raised Zelda. Zelda never knew her mother and Impa had pretty much assumed that role since Zelda was quite young.

"But all is not lost, Link. Zelda left behind something...something I know you are a part of..." she said thrusting the basket into my unsuspecting hands.

"Daddy what are you doing?"

I turned around to face my savior, the only reason why I live today. Zelda's and my child, a daughter, named Zinnia after Zelda's favorite flower. Flowers that I always picked and brought to her. Although she is my exact likeness yet female (part of the reason Impa suspected she was mine), she has her mother's intense bright azure eyes. I watch her as she ambles forward, blonde curles bouncing in the wind. She sits down next to me outside our small home, upon the rock I am sitting on.

"Are you playing your flute again, daddy?" she asks me.

True the birth of my daughter has helped to ease the pain, yet I still blame myself for Zelda's death. We should have run away together that snowy night, I should not have let her leave. I should have not taken no for answer when she said she could not runaway with me. It was my fault that she died, she died trying to find her way to me.

"It's called an ocarina, dear," I correct my daughter gently.

Zinnia smiles brightly, big azure eyes shining and sparkling in a way that her mother's did. I feel my heart being pulled on and I force myself not to cry. 

"Will you play that song for me, daddy, you know the lullaby," she says.

I began playing Zelda's lullaby to the child the night Impa brought her to me. I found it to be the only thing that would sooth the child's nerves and help her sleep peacefully. It was more of a bittersweet elegy than anything now and as much as I detest playing it, I know Zinnia loves it.

I oblige at her pleading look and begin to shakily play Zelda's lullaby for her. The child smiles and doesn't know the metaphor behind it. To her it is a gleeful soft tune that comforts her, it is something entirely different for me.

I sometimes think Zelda knew what was to happen that snowy night. There was a tenderness in her voice and twinkle in her eye. I almost feel like everything was meant to be this way. Yet we have always hated destiny, but without destiny I would not have my daughter.

I play the song once more time, praying that I shall see her again and that Zinnia shall know her mother. Zelda, who even those blessed with the most eloquent speech could not begin to describe. I close my eyes and listen to the woeful melody coming from the ocarina and the sound of my young daughter next to me humming the song she knows by heart.

Goodbye Zelda, I'll never love again. Maybe one day we will meet once more, but until then you'll be everywhere I turn. There hasn't been a single snowfall when I haven't seen your face.

~*~*~*~*~**~*

A/N: Told you it wasn't like what I normally write. My apologies to anyone who is feeling blue now. I'll be posting another fic soon, this one will be a cheerful fluffy Zelink! I have decided to try to post a few one-shots all at once.

No flames if you review!!!

You get bonus points if you review every one-shot that I post!! 

  
  
  
  



	6. Young Part Two

  


An Assorted Collection of One-Shots

  


BY: Midnight*Starfire

Disclaimer: Please remember as you read all of these one-shots that I, Midnight*Starfire, own nothing. Unless I mention it, like in one-shot#4 I own a character I created. I'm making no profit off this story.

Genre: Romance, but not very intense romance. Some may find this humorous, however please keep in mind that humor is not my strong suit.

Rating: G or PG

Warning: Not that I can think of.

Note: A short simplistic Zelink fic! This fic is also about when Zelda and Link were young! I'm considering doing a story about the adventures of Young Link and Young Zelda. I think it would be interesting....yay or nay?

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One-Shot#6: Young, Part Two

(For lack of a better title, aren't I creative!)

The gentle gilded sun was rising, and its cascading light washed over the lush green country of Hyrule, bathing it in its warmth. The glowing brightness lit up the suntanned cheeks of a solitary figure that lingered along the edge of the great Lake Hylia. Today was the beginning of a brand new day. A new day meant many things for the lone individual that would normally be asleep at this time. For today was a fresh start and today he would attempt to apologize for a wrong from a couple days ago. 

It was a simple accident, it could have happened to anyone, but the unfortunate circumstances had choose Link. Anyone could have not heeded the Princess's warning and accidently kissed her. It was a simple mistake, anyone could have been so clumsy and done this. She had indicated that she would not mind if he did and when he did, he received quite a shock. The Princess's left hook connected with his jaw leaving quite an interesting welt. Especially since she was wearing a ring with a Z engraved on it and for the rest of the day a Z was present near Link's chin. The Princess's belligerence was not necessary, especially since it was an "accident". His lips accidently touched hers when he tackled her to the ground during a game they were playing. Dealing with young Zelda however, was quite the task. She was stubborn, headstrong, and known to be impatient at times. Link laughed as he recalled and argu ment they once had about Zelda being spoiled, which had escalated into quite the fiasco. Zelda made a fuss because the breakfast she was brought was cold. When the second round of breakfast was brought to her and was "accidently" spilled on her by the servant, the whole castle was awakened with an ear shattering scream.

And the scream was from the servant, as Zelda poured her scalding hot cider on her.

Temperamental as she was, Zelda was still a sweet girl, a little devious yet kind none the less. Very much a tomboy she had been known to play pranks on Impa whenever she was made to wear the color pink. Link laughed as he recalled one incident involving a herd of angry honey bees that Zelda "accidently" let into Impa's room after Impa made her wear a frilly lace covered bright pink dress.

Apologizing to Zelda would be quite the task. It wasn't entering the castle he was afraid of, it was Zelda herself. Zelda and Link had made a map of all the secret entrance and passages in and out of the castle, which had come in handy every time Zelda was "grounded". Which was nearly every day due to some sort of prank that the two would pull. It really depended on the day how conniving the two were, sometimes the pranks weren't as large. One of Link's favorite pranks was the time Zelda and he found her father's liquor stash and they proceeded to fill the punch bowl at a ball Zelda's father was hosting. That had turned out to be quite entertaining, especially when Zelda's father fell down a flight of stairs.

Link looked along the banks of the Lake Hylia for a dark blue and ivory aster, the only flower Zelda really liked. Picking five of these, Link looked them over. Who was he kidding? Give Zelda -I -can- run- faster- and- shoot -a- bow -better- than- any- boy- Harkinian flowers? She would have him hung for this, but for her forgiveness it was worth a try. In the last few days Link had been terribly bored, and everywhere he went he was somehow reminded of Zelda. He went to Lon Lon Ranch to visit Malon and was reminded of the time Zelda screamed bloody murder when an angry bull chased her. Link had warned Zelda not to wear red to the Ranch, but stubborn Zelda had simply stated, "It won't happen to me, Link." Walking along Lake Hylia he was reminded of the time they went fishing and he did his best to terrorize Zelda after he caught an old boot and she caught a fish. He had even went as far as to visit Goron City when he was reminded of the time he brought Zelda there. Zelda had never seen a Goron before and had insisted they did not exist, but she received quite a shock when the boulder she was sitting on moved and began talking to her. Link laughed insanely as all the color drained from her face and she looked terrified.

Okay so maybe she wasn't as courageous as Link was, that was after all, why he had the Triforce of Courage and she did not. She was rather wise for her age, if ever there was a stupid decision to be made it was always all Link's fault. Take the time Link had this crazy idea that if he jumped off a ledge holding a cuckoo he could fly indefinitely. After jumping off the highest roof he could find, he hovered for a second, but then the cuckoo began to squawk and kick its legs in a frenzy. Link lost his hold and fell to the ground breaking two ribs. Zelda dragged him to Impa, so she could take care of his wounds. But not before she taunted him mercilessly.

There was another time that Link had decided to do something unintelligent as well. The time that Link had decided he was going to catch a Poe without using Epona or a bow and arrow. He sent up an elaborate trap, which consisted of a simplistic cage that would be triggered when the Poe reached a certain spot, and began luring the Poe towards the trap. However in the end Link found himself sprinting after the Poe, who flew the other direction and Link tripped and fell over a brick wall. He landed face first and broke his nose. Zelda hurried to help him, trying to stifle her giggles. Link had insisted that he did not need her help and he got up, dusted himself off and walked away. However, he wasn't thinking about where he was going because he walked right into his own trap. Zelda left him in the cage for a couple hours then decided to let him out because Link claimed he was very dehydrated and pretended to faint.

So Link wasn't always the brightest one, but between his bravery and Zelda's intelligence the two could pull of quite a prank. Part of the reason why Link desperately needed to make up with Zelda, he was bored without her. He lived for ruckus and trouble and without it his life was much too mundane. And maybe, just maybe, he missed her. He supposed when they got older maybe they could get married, if Zelda grew out of having cooties. Whatever cooties were Link wasn't quite sure, but he was sure he caught it after Zelda gave him a quick peck at the lake. Link felt sick for days, it felt like butterflies were in his stomach and his face kept burning and turning red. Every since then he had a strange feeling whenever in Zelda's presence, perhaps it was the deadly cooties acting up again.

As Link ambled towards the castle he couldn't help but wonder why she was so irate with him in the first place. After all she had kissed him once, why was it so different when he kissed her? Wasn't it pretty much the same thing? Why had it happened anyways, for it had not happened with Malon or Saria. They were both girls and they were both his age, so what was it about Zelda that made him feel positively....strange. The cooties acted up again and Link felt his stomach dancing around and his heart beat skipped. Link made a mental note to self to ask the witch in Kakariko Village if there were any known cures for such an aliment. Perhaps she could brew him a potion or something that would cure him. He hoped that cooties wasn't fatal.

At last he stood in front of Zelda's door, but he was afraid to knock. How would she react to his gift? Taking a deep breath he rapped on the door and waited. Silence came to him and he could hear no audible sounds from the other side of the large wooden door. Finally he heard footsteps approaching.

"Father, I said I did not want to go horseback riding today and I told you to cancel my piano lessons, I - " Zelda pulled the door open believing she would find the King standing there.

Moments flew by and the two stared at each other, Link giving Zelda a nervous smile and her scowling at him as if any moment she would punch him.

"What do you want?" she demanded.

"To give these to you," Link said meekly bringing his hands around from behind his back.

Zelda looked downwards and her eyes lit up at the sight of the asters. Being a tomboy ordinary presents could not bribe her, but these she truly liked. Snatching them out of Link's hands she took a deep breath inhaling the sweet scent of them and closing her eyes. Link smiled at her delight in the flowers and felt his cheeks begin to burn again. 

"These are beautiful. Thank you," she mumbled.

"Yeah," said Link, whose face now paralleled a cherry.

Zelda looked up at him, reaching her hand out to feel his forehead for a fever, "Are you feeling okay? Your cheeks are all flushed," she said.

Link gulped and nodded.

"Well I suppose you have come to ask me to forgive you, right?" she asked.

Link said nothing but stared, then slowly nodded his head. Suddenly words were lost to him. When had Zelda become so....pretty? For once she had that odd looking towel off her head and her sunny blonde tresses hung loosely around her shoulders. She was wearing a vivid pink dress, which actually flattered her soft pink cheeks.

"Your wearing pink," Link stated incredulously.

"Nice observation," retorted Zelda.

"You l-look n-nice in pink," stuttered Link.

"You think so?" asked Zelda, whose turn it was to blush.

Link once again nodded, and realization suddenly hit him. If Zelda was wearing pink that meant...

"So am I to guess you pulled some sort of prank on Impa, without me?" asked Link.

Zelda's eyes widened in horror, "Oh I forgot! Link you have to help me!" 

"What did you do now?" he asked.

  
  


"Okay so sneak into Impa's room, it's the third door on your right. What you're looking for should be on her night stand next to her bed," said Zelda.

"One question before I go, Zel," Link said.

"What's that?" asked Zelda.

"WHY ME?" demanded Link.

"Because you're the only one stupid, I mean brave enough to do so. You're a very courageous boy and only you could do such a task," replied Zelda. She knew if she fed his ego enough, Link would definitely comply and not back down. Link loved hearing how great he was and even at such a young age was building up quite a playful arrogance.

"Yeah, I am brave, aren't I," bragged Link basking in her compliment.

"Yes, now go!" Zelda insisted pushing Link forcefully forward.

Link stumbled forward and almost lost his balance. For a girl, Zelda sure was tough. Link stealthily kept forward and snuck down the hall. He moved from statue to statue hiding behind each and looking around for an guards, maids, or even Impa lurking around. Zelda couldn't help but laugh as Link did a somersault forwards and knocked into a suit of armor, which almost tipped over. "He's so clumsy," she mumbled.

Link then found Impa's door and pushed it open slowly and carefully. Peaking in he found that she was present in her room and sleeping in her bed. Zelda had mentioned that Impa had been ill lately and perhaps she had not yet awoke. Link's mission was to retrieve Impa's tray of food on her night stand, which Zelda had so kindly added a spicy sauce to her breakfast and placed a spider in her drink. The only two things Impa detested, spiders and spicy food. After Link's compliment, Zelda's conscience kicked in and she decided not to prank Impa. If Link liked her in pink then maybe it wasn't so bad. Besides, poor Impa was rather ill and when she recovered she would come after Zelda with a vengeance. 

All was going well, Link had managed to tiptoe into Impa's room and over to her night stand where her uneaten breakfast was. On the way over there he had stepped wrong on a floorboard that creaked and Impa had turned over. Link was sure he had awoke her, but to his extreme luck, she had only rolled over and was now snoring. Impa was snoring very nosily, and she sounded like a lion roaring. Link bit his lip to keep from laughing. Carefully, Link lifted the tray of food as he watched Impa. She was stirring in her sleep quite a bit ever since he stepped on the creaking floorboard. After a few seconds of watching Impa he noticed that his hand for some strange reason was tickling really badly. Turning to look back at the tray he noticed that the spider from her drink was descending his arm. Link swallowed hard, he wasn't afraid of spiders and he knew Zelda would not put a poisonous one in Impa's goblet. But this spider was hairy and rather ominous looking and it's beady little eyes watched Link as if he was prey. Not to mention the legs of the spider tickled him something awful.

The spider stood still for a second, as if just watching Link. Link wondered how Zelda became such a stoic girl, she did not normally like spiders. How could she have picked it up and put it in Impa's goblet? Surely Impa would have seen it anyways, because the goblet was a crystal glass, and she would have seen straight through it. Suddenly, the spider darted up his arm and crawled up his shoulder to his neck. His neck was where Link was ultimately ticklish and he held his breath to keep from laughing. 

But alas he could no longer take the tickling sensation and he let out a roar of laughter as he swatted the fuzzy spider off his neck. While laughing he dropped the tray of food and it spilled everywhere on the floor. The spider landed on the ground and hastily crawled under the bed. But it was too late, the second his laughter began, Impa sat up in bed. She withdrew and unsheathed a knife that she kept under her pillow (yes I know it's strange but so is Impa) and pointed it at Link.

"Link! What are you doing in my room?" she shrieked.

"I....ummm....uhhh," Link could not even formulate a sentence.

It was then that Zelda came rushing into the room, to save Link.

"I asked Link to bring you breakfast, but of course the klutz dropped it," said Zelda quickly.

Impa glared at her, seeing through her facade.

"I'll send in a maid to clean up the mess at once," said Zelda grabbing Link's wrist. The two of them then sprinted out of Impa's room and down the hall all the while ignoring Impa screaming, "Zelda get back here now! ZELDA!"

The duo continued sprinting through the castle, practically knocking down every guard in their paths. It wasn't until they reached the courtyard that they stopped to catch their breaths.

"Thanks," Link huffed, "for saving me."

"Don't," Zelda paused to catch her breath, "mention it."

Link sat upon the grass and rested his back against the stone wall while Zelda collapsed on the grass near a large pile of mud.

"You have no idea how hard it is running in this long dress. I nearly lost my balance several times," she whined.

"Of course I don't know how hard it is running in a dress. Boys don't wear dresses," snorted Link. 

"Could have fooled me with that thing your wearing," laughed Zelda.

"It's called a tunic!" corrected Link.

"It looks like a skirt and tights!" giggled Zelda.

"It is a tunic and pants," said Link.

"Awfully tight pants, don't you think?" questioned Zelda, practically convulsing from laughter.

"Shut it, Zelda. You know I look good," said Link arrogantly.

Zelda rolled her eyes and playfully threw a clump of mud at him. It landed smack in his lap and left an imprint on his tunic. "You're such a braggart," she said. Although to herself she had to admit Link was....what was the word....cute. Very cute, especially lately for some odd reason.

"What did you do that for?" interrogated Link.

"I owe you for the other day," she told him.

"Yeah, whatever. You're lucky I put up with you," he sneered.

Zelda giggled and picked up more mud and threw it at Link.

"So you want a mud fight do you?" he asked running over to the mud to join her.

Zelda only laughed harder in response.

"They can dress you up like a princess, but you will never act like one," said Link as he put mud in her hair.

So into their mud war game were they that they did not notice a coughing and sickly white haired woman entering the courtyard.

"Zelda! I demand you explain this!" she choked holding up the spider she had caught, which was once again in her goblet.

"Link?" said Zelda.

"Yeah?" he queried.

"RUN!" screamed Zelda. 

And with that the two ran off once again, only to be chased this time by a very livid Sheikah woman.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


A/N: LOL I made Zelda into such a little brat! I really have a lot of fun writing about Zelda and Link when they were younger, I'll probably do more like this in the future. Please review and tell me what you think. I'll be sure to return the favor!

Midnight*Starfire

By the way I would greatly like if you would review all three one-shots that I posted today!! But, of course you do not have to. *Puppy dog eyes*.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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